Occupational Disease Fatalities Accepted by the Workers Compensation Board Year to date, numbers as of Occupational disease fatalities are usually gradual in onset and result from exposure to work-related conditions that cause disease resulting in the workers death. The fatalities listed represent disease claims that have been accepted by the Workers Compensation Board as recorded by the month accepted. Occupational disease fatalities consist mostly of recognized occupational disease, meaning disease known to be primarily or exclusively work-related e.g. asbestosis, black lung disease. Occupational diseases are frequently diagnosed many years after the initial or crucial exposure to the toxic substance, and it can often be very difficult to determine when the fatal exposure occurred. The occupational disease category should not be interpreted to reflect present work site hazardous conditions or exposures. Occupational disease also includes heart attacks suffered on the job. The most frequent occupational disease fatalities accepted by the Workers Compensation Board in recent years concern exposure to asbestos fibres. Industry s Industry Sector Agriculture and Forestry Business, Personal and Professional Services Construction and Construction Trades Manufacturing and Processing Mining and Petroleum Development Public Administration, Education and Health Services Transportation, Communication and Utilities Wholesale And Retail Trade Includes greenhouses and market gardens, feed lots, timber management, logging and related woodlands operations including the trucking of logs. Includes building and grounds maintenance, financial services, restaurants, hotels and recreation facilities, security services, and professional services such as engineering. Includes the construction of houses, apartments, industrial plants, roads, bridges and pipelines, and specialized construction trades (e.g. plumbing, painting, roofing, and bricklaying). Involves manufacturing beyond the raw product: includes saw mills, pulp mills, food and beverages, metal fabrication, petrochemicals, and oil refineries. Includes underground and open pit mining, oil sands mining and processing, operation of oil and gas wells, drilling and servicing of wells, and related services in the oil fields. Includes the provincial government, all forms of local government, universities, colleges, business schools, libraries, hospitals and long term care facilities. Includes public transportation (air, rail, bus), trucking, radio, television, live theatre, electricity, natural gas and garbage collection. Includes food and beverage stores, department stores, home improvement centers, and sale and service of automobiles and equipment. Occupational Disease Fatalities 1
Industry Sector 2010 Number of Fatalities (Year-to-date) 2009 Number of Fatalities (Year-to-date) Agriculture and Forestry 0 0 Business, Personal and Professional Services 0 0 Construction and Construction Trades 37 17 Federal Government 0 0 Manufacturing and Processing 7 12 Mining and Petroleum Development 3 5 Public Administration, Education and Health Services 8 10 Transportation, Communication and Utilities 3 2 Wholesale and Retail Trade 4 4 TOTAL 62 50 Delayed Fatalities 1 Date of Construction and Construction Trade A 67-year old insulator developed asbestos related pleural disease from years of occupational asbestos exposure, resulting in respiratory failure. A 77-year old labourer developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from exposure to gas and chemicals in the workplace from 1978 1992. A 66-year old carpenter developed malignant mesothelioma from exposure to asbestos while working in the construction industry in the 1970 s. A 61-year old worker died from metastatic mesothelioma as a result of exposure to solvents, including asbestos, during a career in the industrial machine industry. A 57-year old welder died from acute myeloid leukemia as a result of occupational exposure to benzene and other chemicals between the 1970 s and 1990 s. A 75-year old electrician died due to asbestos related pulmonary and pleural disease after exposure to asbestos between 1953 and 1961. A 68-year old construction supervisor died due to mesothelioma after long term asbestos exposure between 1966 and 1996. A 73-year old mill and plant worker died from mesothelioma after asbestos exposure in the late 1960s and 1970s. A 70-year old insulator died due to mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos while working in a power plant for the summer in 1955. 1 Delayed or latent occupational disease fatalities include workers who that did not become a fatality until a much later date, often years later. From 2007, these incidents are to be categorized under the original incident. Delayed fatalities have not been included in the year-to-date total as they do not reflect present hazards or exposures. Occupational Disease Fatalities 2
An 83-year old electrician died due to complications related to asbestosis after exposure while working in a power plant in 1971. A 78-year old insulator died due to complications related to asbestosis after exposure during a long working career of over 30 years. A 62-year old insulator died due to mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1967 and 1974 and then again between 1981 and 1993. A 90-year old miner passed away from asbestosis after exposure while working in a mine during the 1940s. An 83-year old carpenter passed away from asbestosis after exposure during a lengthy career. An 82-year old carpenter passed away from asbestosis after exposure while working in a factory from 1959 to 1987. An 84-year old carpenter foreman passed away from mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1948 and 1987 at various job sites. An 80-year old painter passed away from COPD after working for 48 years with exposure to asbestos and paint fumes. A 75-year old electrician passed away from asbestos plural disease after exposure between 1959 and 1974. A 96-year old pipe fitter passed away from asbestosis after exposure between 1947 and 1979. A 67-year old plumber passed away due to mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1968 and 2003 A 67-year old equipment operator passed away due to silicosis after exposure to particulates in 1980-81. A 71-year old construction worker passed away due to asbestosis after exposure to asbestos and wood dust between 1984 and 2003. A 71-year old insulator developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1957 and 1959. A 71-year old pipefitter developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1957 and 2000. A 76-year old welder developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1956 and 1978. A 69-year old electrician passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1958 and 1985. An 84-year old floor installer passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1962 and 1972. An 85-year old marine fitter passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1940 and 1950. Occupational Disease Fatalities 3
November 2010 A 59-year old sheet metal worker developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during the 1970s. A 79-year old iron worker passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1956 and 1958. A 60-year old operator and metal worker developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1988 and 2005. An 80-year old bricklayer developed asbestosis after exposure between 1967 and 2005. A 68-year old foundry manager developed mesothelioma after exposure to various chemicals between 1965 and 2005. A 63-year old plumber developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1978 and 2003. A 78-year old painter developed mesothelioma after exposure to various irritants and paint chemicals between 1952 and 1991. A 72-year old electrician developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos during a 50 year career. November 2010 A 62-year old insulator developed asbestosis after exposure between 1965 and 1985. Manufacturing and Processing A 56-year old millwright died due to complications from asbestosis due to exposure between 1974 and 2008. A 71-year old operations foreman developed mesothelioma after working in oil and chemical plants between 1965 and 1993. A 71-year old steam engineer passed away from asbestosis complications after exposure between 1956 and 1993. A 73-year old carpenter passed away from asbestosis after exposure between 1957 and 2009. A 71-year old welder passed away from asbestosis after exposure to asbestos and welding dust between 1969 and 1989. A 63-year old millwright passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1963 and 1998. A 66-year old worker with various jobs developed COPD from exposure to various chemicals throughout his working career between 1961 and 1995. Mining and Petroleum Development November 2010 A 59-year old rig worker developed mesothelioma after exposure to toxins and asbestos during the 1970s. An 80-year old worker developed asthmatic bronchitis from cement dust exposure during working career. Occupational Disease Fatalities 4
December 2010 A 66-year old mechanical fitter developed mesothelioma after being exposed to various chemicals and asbestos between 1959 and 1980. Public Administration, Education and Health Services A 75-year old worker developed malignant mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure during the 1950 s. An 83-year old spray painter died from myeloid leukemia as a result of exposure to benzene during the course of employment from 1949 to 1982. A 71-year old carpenter died due to mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos between 1985 and 1997. A 61-year old hairdresser died due to COPD after exposure in the workplace for the majority of working career. A 68-year old fire fighter passed away from colon cancer after employed from 1965 to 1996. A 53-year old firefighter developed colorectal cancer after exposure to toxic fumes during a 30 year career. A 72-year old teacher developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos while working in schools during the 1960s. A 97-year old maintenance worker developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1962 and 1977. Transportation and Utilities A 73-year old truck driver developed pulmonary interstitial fibrosis from years of occupational asbestos exposure resulting in asbestosis and respiratory failure. An 86-year old electrician died as a consequence of aspiration pneumonia due to pulmonary asbestosis. An 83-yar old gas fitter passed away due to asbestosis after exposure between 1949 and 1984. Wholesale and Retail A 72-year old mechanic manager passed away from mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos while working on vehicle brake pads between 1962 and 1988. A 73-year old maintenance welder developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1957 and 1996. An 80-year old plant operator developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos between 1957 and 1986. A 79-year old worker developed asbestosis after exposure during prior years of employment. Occupational Disease Fatalities 5